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Managed Care

In: Social Issues

Submitted By ckm444
Words 733
Pages 3
Chris Murphy
Assignment One – ECN 360

Health care over the past few decades has made tremendous leaps and bounds with respect to screening, treatment, and many other aspects. However, recently there have been debates about whether or not people in the US are receiving ‘too much’ health care. One might ask what qualifies someone to be receiving ‘too much’ health care. There are many alternatives for every single treatment regimen, surgery, or other action that would combat an illness, that aren’t always relayed or discussed with the patient at hand. Today, insurance policies can cover a varied range or services for a consumer. Primarily, when a patient is discussing a treatment with their physician, their main concern is if that specific treatment is covered under their insurance policy, and if not, what are its costs associated with it. Since physicians make more off of a treatment that costs more, they generally are biased towards a treatment that, in turn, will increase their wealth. With this being said, health specialists are now encouraging patients to ask in-depth and extensive questions regarding the actions they are about to take to combat their illness. Questions like: What do I get out of this treatment, Why this certain test, What are my chances of something bad happening if I do/don’t get this specific test, as well as asking what their other options are. This way, patients will better understand their options and be able to make a decision that coincides with their lifestyle and beliefs. In the NY Times reading, Lynn Monroe has a hyperactive thyroid problem. She went to three doctors to get their opinions; the first recommended a treatment to destroy the gland and then she would have to take hormone replacement pills, the second recommended removing the gland without radiation but still take the hormone replacement pills, and the third

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